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Pets - Should they be in your bedrooms or not?*

*This is a collaborative post*

I come from a family who adore animals so it's no wonder that we have a German Shepherd. Perhaps you also have a dog? Or maybe cats are more your cup of tea? Do you let your
dog or cat sleep in your bedroom or even on your bed? If you do then know that you're certainly not alone. A survey commissioned by leading pet insurer, Animal Friends, found that
nearly half of owners sleep with their pets.

So is it a good idea to welcome your pet
into your bedroom? Fitted bedroom specialists DM Design has analysed the arguments both for and
against this decision:

The case for pets being in the bedroom

A study carried out by the Mayo Sleep
Clinic, a leading clinic based in Arizona, USA, supports the case for welcoming
your pets into your bedroom.

After surveying 150 patients - 49 per cent
of whom owned at least one pet - the researchers found that over half of those
with animals let them sleep either in their bedroom or on their bed. However, the study also revealed that those
who did actually felt safer, more secure, more relaxed and had a better night’s rest. On
the other end of the scale, just 20 per cent of those with pets said that they
experienced interrupted sleep due to their pets ‘snoring’, ‘wandering’ or
‘whimpering’ when they were in the bedroom.

Lois Krahn, the author of the study,
commented: 'Many pet owners view companion animals as family members that they
wish to incorporate into as many aspects of their life as possible. Because
humans spend considerable time sleeping, a pet owner's desire to have animals
close at night is understandable.”

Dr Krahn also pointed out from the study’s
results that people who slept alone - whether due to being single or because
their partner had to occasionally travel or work at night - “more often spoke
of the beneficial companionship stemming from a pet in the bedroom or on the
bed”.

This isn’t the only instance where research
carried out at the Mayo Sleep Clinic has revealed results in favour of having
pets in the bedroom.

In a study of 40 healthy adults who had
their sleep evaluated with a dog in the bedroom over a five-month period - with
both the humans and dogs wearing activity trackers for the research - it was
established that people slept better when the pet was on their bed. However, sleep
quality was sacrificed when people allowed their dogs to sleep under the covers
with them.

In regard to this particular study carried
out by Mayo Clinic’s Centre for Sleep Medicine, Dr Krahn acknowledged: “The
relationship between people and their pets has changed over time, which is
likely why many people in fact do sleep with their pets in the bedroom.

“Today, many pet owners are away from their
pets for much of the day, so they want to maximize their time with them when
they are home. Having them in the bedroom at night is an easy way to do that. And,
now, pet owners can find comfort knowing it won't negatively impact their
sleep.”

The case against pets being in the bedroom

Although the Mayo Clinic has released
studies in favour of having pets in the bedroom, the institute - or more
specifically their Sleep Disorders Center - believes that people who have
difficulty sleeping should consider keeping their pets out of the room.

In a survey of 300 patients, of which 157
had one or more pets, 53 per cent of pet owners suggested that their sleep was
disrupted to some extent on a daily basis. Snoring was also reported in 21 per
cent of those with dogs, as well as seven per cent of those with cats.

With these results in mind, John Shepard,
the medical director of the Mayo Clinic Sleep Disorders Center, advised: "Every
patient has to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of sleeping with pets and
make a personal decision about the sleeping arrangements in the household. Some
people are very attached to their pets and will tolerate poorer sleep in order
to be near them at night."

Meanwhile, Derek Damin, of Kentuckiana
Allergy, Asthma & Immunology in Louisville, USA, believes that people who
have asthma or obviously pet allergies should refrain from letting their
animals on their bed or even in the bedroom. This is “to give your nose a few
hours a day to recover”, Dr Damin explained.

However, he was keen to add: "But if
you’re not allergic, there’s really no big issue with having a dog in the bed.
It’s fine as long as it doesn’t disturb your sleep."

It appears then that so long as there
aren’t any issues with allergies, personal preference takes precedence when
deciding whether or not to allow pets into the bedroom.What are your views on this? Would you change your opinion after reading this post? *Contributed on behalf of DMDesignUK